25 Best Holiday Cookies
- By Amy Dong
- Published Nov. 19, 2020
- Updated Mar. 28, 2023
Here’s a roundup of our favorite, tried and true cookie recipes for the holidays (and beyond, of course.) They can be made ahead of time and are freezer friendly.
The holiday season is synonymous with cookie baking, cookie freezing, and cookie eating. Here’s our delightful collection of tried-and-true cookie recipes that will dazzle everyone who tastes them. From family treats to homemade gifts, we hope these recipes will make the season that much brighter.
25 Days of Christmas Cookies (Plus 2 bonus gluten-free recipes) …
- These 4-Ingredient Pecan Sandies are even better than the store bought version we enjoyed as kids. Plus, they’re super easy to make at home using just 4 real ingredients.
2. Buttery Jam Thumbprint Cookies – Who knew jam thumbprint cookies would become the most pinned Christmas cookie on Pinterest, could we?
3. Salted Caramel Kiss Cookies – These are THE cure for any cookie & caramel craving. Soft, chewy, and made with the depth of browned butter. Lightly sprinkled with flaked sea salt.
4. Samoas Cookie Bars Recipe – These cookie bars are awesome all year round, but they’re certain to stand out amongst all the others on that Christmas cookie plate. Perfect for Girl Scout cookie lovers. (Pssst: these bars are totally better than boxed Samoa cookies, but let’s keep that between us.)
5. Thick, Chewy Oatmeal Cookies (with or without icing) – these are every bit as thick and chewy as bakery cookies, and loaded with the goodness of rolled oats and plump raisins. Feel free to omit raisins or swap them out for chocolate chips.
6. Snickerdoodle Pudding Cookies – Snickerdoodles are must-haves in the world of Christmas cookies. These cinnamon sugar delights are extra chewy, with the addition of a little pudding in the dough. Not only does it provide elevated yum factor, it allows these cookies to stay chewy soft for days. Cinnamon chips not required, but highly recommended.
7. Chewy Soft Ginger Cookies – These ginger cookies are chewy and delicious, thanks to the combination of ginger, cinnamon, and molasses.
8, Chewy Monster Cookie Bars (One-Bowl!) – Who’s on board with one-bowl cookie recipes? Especially when they’re in bar form, which makes them even easier. All you have to do is use Christmas colors for your M&M’s and you’ve got yourself the perfect holiday-edition monster cookies.
9. Best, Big Soft Sugar Cookies – Confession: I never liked sugar cookies or frosting (please still be my friend.) That is, until I met these big, soft, sugar cookies here. These are seriously the queen of sugar cookies. They’re reminiscent of famous Lofthouse sugar cookies, but these are Even. Better.
10. Almond Blossoms (Kiss Cookies) – These delicious morsels are an amazing twist on the classic peanut butter kiss cookies. With a touch of almond extract and almond kisses, these Almond Blossoms are supremely yummy. Plus, they just look so darned cute. And people like cute cookies.
11. Chewy Chocolate Brownie Cookies – Clearly, these chocolate brownie cookies are not just for the holidays. Although these chocolatey cookies are a hit anytime of year, they’re a [very] appreciated sight on any cookie platter.
12. One-Bowl Chewy Blondies Recipe (Cookie Bars) – These blondies. They’re the fail proof base for all my chewy blondie variations throughout the year. Think green and red for Christmas; pink and red for Valentines; red, white, and blue for 4th of July. Use this same chewy cookie base for all the celebrations. Someone literally came up and told me these blondies reminded her of the best thing her grandmother ever baked.
13. Twix Thumbprint Cookies Recipe – These yummy morsels of buttery cookie, caramel centers, and chocolate drizzle are simply irresistible. Of course, you know these thumbprint cookies taste better than Twix.
14. Snowball Cookies (Russian Tea Cakes) – These snowball cookies might be the most humble cookies I had ever seen, before I tasted one. If looks can be deceiving, these cookies are the prime example. They’re HUGE on flavor and melt-in-your-mouth amazing. These little guys may actually be my very favorite Christmas cookie of all time.
15. Carmelita Bars – Loaded with oats, coconut, and caramel, these Carmelita bars are an instant winner. Watch them disappear from the dessert table faster than you can say Carmelita. Just be sure to grab a few for yourself before they’re all gone.
16. Chewy White Chocolate Cranberry Bars – It’s not a Christmas cookie exchange without white chocolate and cranberries. These Chewy White Chocolate Cranberry Bars are somewhat akin to Starbuck’s Cranberry Bliss bars, but these aren’t quite as candy-heavy. A generous drizzle of white chocolate does the trick. It’s an irresistible combination of flavors.
17. 3-Ingredient Buttery Shortbread Cookies – These are a great gift-giving option, as they keep super well and won’t melt like chocolate. People love receiving these buttery shortbread cookies all wrapped up in cellophane. That’s if your family doesn’t snatch them up first.
18. Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies – these slightly crispy yet chewy cookies are piled mile-high with rolled oats. The old-fashioned kind, not the quick cooking kind. Make them while butterscotch chips are in season.
19. Perfect Vanilla Cut-Out Cookies – a buttery, chewy, tasty cut-out cookie that can be decorated to your heart’s content.
20. Chewy Coconut Macaroon Cookies – This 5-Ingredient Coconut Macaroons Recipe yields cookies that are crisp on the outside and chewy in the center. They’re sure to be an instant hit with all the coconut lovers in your life.
21. Soft Batch Funfetti Cookies – festive, delicious, and a plate of cheerfulness. The dough can be made ahead and chilled until ready to bake. Great way to bring on the fun!
22. White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Cookies – The addition of a secret ingredient makes them superb. Both the dough and the baked cookies freeze beautifully.
23. Orange Chocolate Lace Cookie – these crispy, buttery cookies are an oldie but goodie. They’re fun to make and even better to eat.
24. Christmas M&M Cookies, soft-batch style, without being cakey. These keep incredibly well at room temperature for days, and can also be frozen.
25. Double Chocolate Biscotti Cookies – For those mornings or afternoons when you can stay in and sip on a hot mug of coffee or tea… bring in these double chocolate Biscotti cookies. They are the perfect dunking cookie.
Bonus: Gluten-Free Cookies
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies that happen to be gluten and dairy free are oh-so-satisfying. Loaded with big peanut butter flavor.
